HT & Movies Posts - Page 23

Two new 1080p 3D projectors have hit the market from BenQ. The W1070 and the W1080ST both bring the affordability of owning a HD 3D projector to new levels, according to the company.

The W1070 features a high-end DLP Dark Chip 3 and is priced at $1099, while the W1080ST is capable of projecting a 100 inch image from just six feet away and is priced at $1299.

Both projectors are capable of 3D output from Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, 3D boxes and of course PC's. Both also support NVIDIA 3DTV Play, DLP Link and Dual HDMI input. Each have a contrast ratio of 10,000:1 and a built in 2w sound system. BenQ says that both the W1070 and W1080ST are shipping to retailers now.

Netflix have used the cover, or not, of CES to announce some new enhanced streaming options for users on certain ISPs, these new options have confirmed the often rumored availability of 'Super HD" streaming.

Super HD streaming is Netflix's name for streaming 1080p content, as well as 3D. Both services are available right now, as long as you're a Netflix subscriber with Cablevision or Google Fiber. Oh. For those lucky enough to jump on Super HD, you'll have the option of using a slew of devices: Nintendo's Wii U, compatible Roku players, Apple TV, Windows 8-based PCs, and certain Smart TVs and Blu-ray players.

CES 2013 - In a keynote speech at CES, Panasonic's chief executive Kazuhiro Tsuga said that he knew that hardware manufacturers can not survive on hardware alone and that they must begin improving on software as well.

"We are expanding our role from a hardware manufacturer to a total solutions provider," said Tsuga. When he was finished his speech, he introduced Panasonic's newest TV, a 56" Printed OLED 4k TV measuring in at just half an inch thick total.

The company is also working on creating user profiles for their TV's, letting each member of the family customize their home theater experience to suit their needs. There is not much 4k content out at the moment though, we have seen some devices that attempt to up convert to it but nothing that really did it well.

CES 2013 - If there were two words to describe the huge electronics giants at CES 2013, it would be FOUR KAY. Yes, 4K - otherwise known as Ultra HD. Sony are really pushing their 4K goodies at the Consumer Electronics Show 2013 in Las Vegas right now.

They launched their $25,000 84-inch Ultra HD LCD last year, which came with a hard drive solution including preloaded movies. Now those users can download native 4K movies, too. Sony CEO Kaz Hirai has said that "4K is not the future... it's now". Best words, ever. We should expect some new Ultra HD sets, too, with 55- and 65-inch models launching later this year.

Sony are also set to release 'mastered in 4K' Blue-ray discs where they'll be sourced in 1080p from their original 4K masters in high-bitrate which will look amazing when upscaled to 4K. The first movies to be released in this 'mastered in 4K' will be The Amazing Spider-Man, The Karate Kid, Taxi Driver and The Other Guys.

Samsung have unveiled some of their new home theater products ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show 2013 in Las Vegas, included with the announcement is Samsung coming out with what they're claiming to be the world's first sound bar system to sport a vacuum tube. We're also greeted by a new way of Bluetooth for TV audio reproduction, gyros that improve sound quality and finally an all-in-one home theater system that features an amplifier made with Gallium Nitrade.

HW-F750 Vacuum Tube Soundbar

Samsung's HW-F750 Vacuum Tube Soundcar is a sound bar and wireless subwoofer product, and is the South Korean company's latest digital audio product that sports a vacuum tube in the pre-amp stage. Not only does it look great, but it should sound great too. The sound bar will also sport Bluetooth for wireless audio streaming from supported Samsung TVs, and also comes with a built-in gyroscope which is used to help adjust the speakers' sound for optimal results based on the speaker's positioning.

HT-F9750W 7.1 Home Theater System

Samsung's 2013 flagship all-in-one home theater also sports a vacuum tube in the pre-amp stage, as well as an amplifier that is made from Gallium Nitride. The system is capable of some 1330-watts, and its included Blu-ray player is capable of 4K/Ultra HD upscaling and an audio override feature which powers the system up and mutes the Samsung TVs speakers with a single press of a button - simple!

It seems like every one wants a slice of the "Net-TV" pie these days. Sony is rumored to be in the process of setting up its on internet based TV service. Reports are coming in that the company is in "active negation" with at least two content companies.

Other than those tidbits of information, we do not know much else about the venture. Sony is keeping silent on any official details. Rumors are circling that the service could launch as early as fall 2013.

Is Sony looking at this new business model as a way to pull them out of the financial troubles they have faced over the last few years? Personally I think they are just trying to stay competitive in the technology market. With companies like Google, Microsoft, and Apple shopping around for internet based TV services, they almost have to work out their own plan.

The new 'jOBS' movie, about former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, is set to arrive in theaters in April, according to the movie's distributors. The premier will take place at the closing night of the Sundance Film Festival, which takes place this month. It's important to note that this is not the film that Sony Pictures is creating.

A synopsis:

Directed by Joshua Michael Stern, written by Matthew Whitely, shot by Oscar- winning cinematographer Russell Carpenter and produced by Mark Hulme, jOBS details the major moments and defining characters that influenced Steve Jobs on a daily basis from 1971 through 2000. jOBS plunges into the depths of his character, creating an intense dialogue-driven story that is as much a sweeping epic as it is an immensely personal portrait of Steve Jobs' life. The filmmakers were granted unprecedented access during shooting to the historic garage in Palo Alto, that served as the birthplace to Apple Inc.

Samsung has been teasing us with its Smart TV Evolution kit for a while now and it finally set to be unveiled at the 2013 CES next week.

The hardware kit will plug into the back of compatible Samsung Smart TVs and will effectively turn your 2012 model into something closely resembling a 2013 model.

The Evolution it will upgrade the TV by adding a new CPU, more memory and even GPU upgrades. Personally I have been waiting for something like this for years. To me it only makes sense that we can upgrade our existing TV the same way we can upgrade our PCs.

We live in a world where we almost constantly have video games at our fingertips, ready to play at a moments notice. LG's Cinema 3D units already have game apps, but the company feels that games like 2D Angry Birds is just not enough.

LG has announced that in 2013 it will begin adding more featured games such as The Sims Free Play, Air Penguin and Mini Motor Racing (amongst others) that you can control with the Magic Remote.

The above games also been tweaked to offer three-dimensional gaming, and, thanks to the company's FPR 3D tech, two players can battle each other without having to glare at a split screen.